Hurry home

The Prodigal Son, one of the most loved parables told by Jesus, is a classic. Who cannot relate?

In Jesus' story, a kid takes off prematurely with his inheritance, wastes it all, finds himself homeless and without friends. He realizes that his father's servants are better off than he is. Swallowing his pride he decides to go back home and ask his dad for a job as a servant.

The old man has been anxiously watching the road for months, hoping the boy would eventually return. When he does, the father instantly forgives the son's foolishness, and reinstates him as a valued family member.

The father (in the parable the father would be The Father, God, infinite good) doesn't judge, he just loves. That's the nature of true fatherhood.

Here is Jason Michael Carroll's modern version.

Sometimes you don't know the rest of the story

It was a cold December afternoon as Mom and I drove home from an errand run.  Both northbound lanes were stopping and starting erratically.   Suddenly the cars in front of us sped away revealing the cause of the slowdown -- a medium-sized, brown dog stood bewildered in the gutter on our side of the highway.

She was stockily built and wore a chain collar dragging a leather leash.  You could see at a glance that she had recently had puppies.  She had apparently been wandering in the road and the drivers had stopped while she tried to figure out where to go. 

“We need to stop,” Mom and I said almost together, pulling into a handy forest preserve parking area.  “Father, what is your plan?”  I asked, getting out of the car.  That quick prayer set the tone for the next five minutes. 

I ran along the grassy shoulder after the dog who was already headed south, fortunately still on the side of the highway.  “Here Girl!”  I called louder and louder till she heard and turned around.  She waited.  I kept talking to her.

“Thank you, Father, she’s waiting!”  I said.  She let me pick up the end of her leash, and agreed to step on the grassy shoulder.  But she didn’t want to walk in the direction of my car.  She felt she needed to go the other way.  My mom approached and talked to her.  She came with us a few steps and stopped.  This girl was too heavy to pick up and carry.

“Father?” I quietly asked.  Just then a woman pulled up and rolled down her window.  Amazingly, there was almost no traffic behind her, so we could have this conversation.
“Do you need help?” she asked.  “I saw the dog in the road and turned around and came back.”  I said I wasn’t sure, that the dog didn’t want to come.

Checking for traffic in her rearview mirror, the woman swept clutter off the front passenger seat and said, “See if she’ll get into the car.”   This was someone who was familiar with dogs.

I opened the door, patted the seat, and the dog jumped in.  “Good girl!”  the woman said as I flipped her the leash and closed the door.  “Sit,” she said.  The dog sat.  I waved as she rolled up the window and drove off with the dog on the front seat.

Part of our job was done.  The dog out of traffic.  This next stranger had appeared and was taking the her on the next part of her journey.  The woman could ask any vet to see whether the dog had an identification chip, in which case they could try to contact the owner.

Cynics could offer criticism at this point.  But Mom and I had to trust our initial prayer, “Father, what is your plan?”  And this was the second part of our job: to continue our prayers for the dog, and to expand them to including all who were homeless, to find their right home.  That was perhaps the most important part of the episode.

Home is where you find it

Robin nest on a porch swing

My parents' neighbors were surprised to find their porch swing had been usurped by enterprising robins.

The nest's location indicates that cats no longer prowl the neighborhood. Rules and regulations pretty much keep pets indoors unless on a leash. Evidently the bird family feels comfortable so near humans as well.

Robins are very sober birds. They are quite serious about finding their worms. They fly low from point A to point B, shortest distance. And they are diligent and attentive parents.

I got this shot with my phone (that sounds funny, doesn't it?). Apparently the three babies had just eaten. They huddled quietly and peacefully.

My prayer for this day is that all children feel the safety, comfort, and attentiveness their Maker intends for them. That especially those in war and strife find peace, safety, and shelter.

Sorting

What's useful?

and what needs a new home?

“I wish I lived closer. I am a great organizer and pitcher!” My friend in another state heard I was majorly reorganizing my rooms and furnishings.

As I see it, God thought my friend's reorganizing and tossing was a great idea, because He/She sent my sister and my cousin this afternoon, and we had a pitching party!

The girls established four categories:

• Sort - what is useful? What needs a new home?
• Keep - because it is useful
• Give away - because it needs a new home
• Toss - would not bless anyone

And everything was consigned to one of these areas. This is proving to be a highly effective approach to clearing out clutter, to discovering what is really important and relevant. I have been able to let go of some things I had previously clung to -- but really had no present usefulness.

This is also an effective approach to life.

We have an opportunity every day, every moment to first:

• Sort thoughts as to whether or not they come from God. Whatever is good and fair and honest comes from God
• Then either keep and honor a thought because it is a useful and from God
• Or give it away because it is so good it needs to be shared! (The neat thing about sharing a good idea is that we are not diminished by sharing. Good multiplies when shared.)
• Or toss it in the trash because it obviously is not from God, therefore cannot in the long run give either satisfaction or blessing

So as I sort through the sorting pile they kindly bequeathed me, I will remember that what is really going on is the sorting of thoughts – determining which are useful and worth keeping or sharing, and which have served their purpose and need to be discarded.

When is a house a home?

a roof of peace

Bless this House
by Helen Taylor

Bless this house, O Lord we pray,

Make it safe by night and day . . .

Bless these walls so firm and stout,

Keeping want and trouble out . . .

Bless the roof and chimneys tall,
Let thy peace lie overall . . .

Bless this door that it may prove,

Ever open,To joy and love . . .

Bless these windows shining bright,

Letting in God's Heavenly light,

Bless the hearth, the painting there,

With smoke ascending like a prayer!

Bless the folk who dwell within,

Keep them pure and free from sin . . .

Bless us all that we may be,
Fit O Lord to dwell with thee . . .

Bless us all that one day we
may dwell,O Lord! With Thee, withThee!

A house is a home when it's built with qualities originating in a loving God. The author of this poem recognized that safety, peace, joy, love, light, prayer -- comfortable and happy qualities -- come from caring hearts within the four walls, not from the structure itself.

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Home is the dearest spot on earth,

and it should be the centre,

though not the boundary,

of the affections.
Mary Baker Eddy

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Spring house cleaning

A friend just put her condo on the market. In preparation she’s been really sprucing it up. She discovered a special joy by including some mental house cleaning. As she sorted and tossed accumulated books, clothes, other stuff, she also sorted and tossed unwanted thoughts that had cluttered her head for too long, no longer productive or useful. Her mental house sparkled when she finished. Probably her condo is sparkling too! She found this poem somewhere, and sent it along.


CLEANING HOUSE FOR 2007

Last week I threw out Worry, it was getting in the way.
I brought in goals God-centered, and I’m living these today.

I threw out a book about “My past”-- should have tossed it long ago;
Pages of bad memories, don’t know why I kept them so.

Hate, resentment, anger – Small grungy books tossed out
Bad habits, nothing useful They’d make anybody pout.

I found some spiffy new books too, “I CAN,” “I WILL,” “I MUST.” Threw out “I might,” “I think” and “I ought.” You should've seen the dust.

The doorbell rang, it was my pal, I hadn't seen him in a while.
It was my Father (you know, God) and I really like His style.

He helped me do some cleaning and brought some gifts Himself -
Like “Prayer,” “Hope,” “Faith,” “Love,” – and placed them gently on the shelf.

God brought this special item, it sits just inside the door.

It’s such a treasure - PEACE. So nothing bugs me anymore.

I discarded Worry last of all – there just wasn't any space.
Yes, I've got my house in order. Looks great around the place.

It's good to do house cleaning, you feel so refreshed and new.

As you toss what has no meaning. you realize you’re a happier you.

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We should become more familiar with good than with evil,
and guard against false beliefs
as watchfully as we bar our doors
against the approach of thieves and murderers.

Mary Baker Eddy

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